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MCFC/Sample Styles
Warmage Staff Fighting - 3 points This is a combative style intended for warmages who will engage with Melee combat spells. It focuses on the defensive use of the staff, combined with offensive use as a spear. Some primitive unarmed techniques are also included, but they are not the primary focus. Most practitioners hold their staff in a two-handed defensive grip, and jab or stab at the opponent. Advanced students spend a great deal of time learning to switch grips and forms rapidly, shifting from a two-handed defensive staff grip for parrying to a single handled spear grip to allow better hand gestures while casting and then to a defensive spear grip to make the actual attack. Strikes are almost always made as Defensive Attacks, with the power of a Melee spell making up for the lack of striking damage. :Skills: Brawling, Spear, Staff :Techniques: Back Strike (Spear), Close Combat (Spear), Feint (Staff or Spear), Retain Weapon (Staff). :Perks: Form Mastery (Staff), Grip Mastery (Spear), Rapid Retraction (Punches). :Optional Skills:' Parry Missile Weapons. Mage Defensive Staff - 1 point A simplified version of Warmage Staff Fighting, MDS is intended to give non-combat mages some simple tricks to perform while evacuating combat. The emphasis again is the staff as a two-handed weapon, held in a defensive grip and usually used in quick, cautious Defensive Attacks. Drills focus on quickly disabling the enemy followed by a retreat to friendly lines. :Skills: Staff :Techniques: Retain Weapon (Staff), Sweep (Staff), Targeted Attack (Staff Swing/Foot). :Perks: Grip Mastery (Spear), Sure-Footed (Uneven). :Optional Skills: Parry Missile Weapons. Maiden Saber Fencing - 3 points Young noblewomen of the Noth practice this swordplay style in honor of the great heroine Queen Jessica, one of the founders of Bailis. It is intended to provide exercise as well as provide for self-defense skills against lightly armed home invaders or assassins. Duels are fought with heavy face guards, which is important since the face is a primary target. The style is based on graceful, flowing movements. Footwork can easily be concealed under flowing dresses, and feinting is an important part of the style. Attacks target hands or limbs to cripple the foe, followed by a deadly attack on an unprotected face, throat, or groin. Combatants Feint and Evaluate before launching Rapid Strikes. Some grappling is taught, mostly dealing with evading holds or trapping weapons. The cloak is taught as a secondary weapon, and includes techniques for improvising out of an apron or torn skirt. Some stylists use a parrying blade instead. :Skills: Cloak, Saber, Wrestling :Techniques: Feint (Saber), Targeted Attack (Saber Thrust/Face), Targeted Attack (Saber Cut/Neck), Targeted Attack (Saber Thrust/Groin), Targeted Attack (Saber Cut/Hand), Trip (Wrestling). :Perks: Armor Familiarity (Saber), Sure-Footed (Uneven). :Optional Skills: Main-Gauche. Wand and Buckler - 2 points Another style taught for mages and saints, Wand and Buckler is another primarily defensive style. Some stylists prefer it over the staff styles for the missile defense provided by a buckler and because wands can be used to make more impressive gestures than staves while still leaving the weapon ready for a parry. The style mixes buckler and wand blocks with spell casting and quick swings of the wand. Many attacks are made Defensively, but the style can be aggressive. Committed attacks are rare, as keeping the buckler available for defense is an important point of the style. :Skills: Smallsword, Shield (Buckler). :Techniques: Close Combat (Smallsword), Disarming (Smallsword), Feint (Smallsword), Retain Weapon (Smallsword), Targeted Attack (Smallsword). :Perks:' Sure-Footed (Uneven). Category:Noth